This page is an official policy on OrthodoxWiki. It has wide acceptance among editors and is considered a standard that all users should follow. If you are part of the administration, please feel free to update this page as needed, but make sure that changes you make to this policy really do reflect OrthodoxWiki's perspective before you make them.

The following are official policies regarding disciplinary action on OrthodoxWiki. Enforcing and interpreting them is at the discretion of the administration, consisting of the site owner and the sysops.

They are enacted for the purpose of encouraging and regulating polite and civil cooperation between editors and for the general wellbeing and peace of OrthodoxWiki.

Contents

Vandalism

Definition

Vandalism is defined as a clear and unequivocal attempt to disrupt or attack the wiki, which may include the addition of obscenity, the non-accidental blanking of articles, renaming of articles in an obviously disruptive manner, creation of accounts with obscene usernames, etc.

Any editor who has demonstrated an attempt to edit in good faith at least once is most likely not a vandal. Disagreement (even vehement) or uncivil behavior in itself is not equivalent to vandalism. Vandalism is essentially an apparently "mindless" disregard for the function and purpose of the wiki, which is why immediate and permanent action is justified.

Action

Any sysop may permanently ban on sight any account which engages in vandalism on the wiki. Bans may be removed upon appeal.

Uncivil behavior

Definition

Uncivil behavior is defined as including any of the following:

Ad hominem attacks against other editors (i.e., criticizing the person himself rather than his arguments), which may include:

The assumption of bad faith (i.e., that another editor is not concerned for the integrity of the wiki) without clear evidence

Claim of a hidden agenda on the part of another editor

Claim of an alleged emotional state which motivates another editor

Name-calling

Harassment of other editors: this includes writing on their Talk pages or emailing them through the wiki after being asked to stop.

Edit wars: a back-and-forth reverting of an article

Altering others' comments on Talk pages (even one's own Talk page) without their permission. Archiving one's own Talk page or blanking it out after a discussion is completed are excepted. Removing warnings from sysops is not.

Disrespecting any other editor, but especially members of the administration and/or the clergy

Taking sysop prerogatives upon oneself when not a sysop (e.g., issuing warnings, etc.)

Action

Editors engaging in uncivil behavior may be officially warned by any sysop to cease, even if the sysop is the target of that incivility. Warnings may be issued after any uncivil behavior, but only one warning may be issued per instance of incivility. Once a warning is issued, another may not be issued unless further uncivil behavior occurs.

When giving a warning, the sysop must indicate on the editor's Talk page that they are being given an official warning and which number warning it is (e.g., first, second). The sysop should also explicitly point out which behavior is being considered uncivil.

Three strike rule: After two official warnings have been issued, the third instance of uncivil behavior will result in a one week ban on editing. Once an editor is banned, all further action will be conducted with a one strike rule—instead of being warned, the editor will be banned again for one week upon engaging in uncivil behavior.

After an editor has been banned twice, if a third banning is necessary, it will become permanent.

Official warnings and bans may be removed upon appeal.

Disputes involving sysops

If it is claimed that a sysop is involved in a dispute, then any other sysop (a voluntary arbitrator) may be appealed to in order to determine whether the dispute is genuine, meaning that the sysop is engaging in uncivil behavior or a disagreement requiring the action of a sysop. (A sysop being attacked by an editor does not in itself make him a party to a dispute.)

If the arbitrator determines the sysop in question is indeed party to a dispute (i.e., the sysop is engaging in uncivil behavior or is disagreeing in a manner necessitating arbitration), then that sysop must recuse himself from using his administrative authority and privileges in the dispute in question and the arbitrator takes responsibility for the other editor's behavior.

All discipline of sysops will be handled by the OrthodoxWiki site owner at his sole discretion.

Appeals

Appeals of warnings, bans, and other official administrative actions and decisions may be posted to OrthodoxWiki Talk:Administrators or '"`UNIQ--enkodemail-00000000-QINU`"' in the event that an editor has been banned and cannot post on Talk pages.

Appeals are normally heard by a voluntary panel of three sysops (which may include the site owner). Appeals may also be heard directly by the site owner alone at his discretion. In the event that a panel considers the appeal, a decision will be rendered by a majority vote (2 out of 3).

The sysop who rendered the initial decision being appealed may not sit on the voluntary panel. The panel shall consist of the first three sysops who volunteer for it.

The decisions of an appeals panel may be appealed to the site owner.

Policy enforcement

Normally, enforcement of policy is in the hands of any sysop as described above. All of the above set forth policies and procedures may also be suspended or overturned by the site owner at his sole discretion.